Louis L. Klark

Louis L. Klark, 90, of Matthews, N.C., died Jan. 1, 2014, at home in the presence of his family.

Mr. Klark was born in Clarendon, Pa., on Sept. 9, 1923, the son of the late Oswald J. and Mary (Janowska) Miaski.

He had been employed by Struthers Wells Corp. in Warren, Pa., as an electric arc welder prior to volunteering for the U.S. Army in 1943. During World War II, Cpl. Klark was an amphibian tractor driver with Co. B 534th Amphibian Tractor Battalion, assigned to the 4th Marine Division by command of Major General Burgin. His company received the Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) and Blue Enameled Star for outstanding performance in combat during the seizure of the Japanese held islands. He received a Bronze Arrowhead for his participation in the assault landings on the islands of Saipan and Tinian during the Marianas Campaign. Cpl. Klark also received the Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Ribbon, the Bronze Service Star, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon and the World War II Victory Medal and Ribbon. Cpl. Klark was recalled into the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict in 1950, and assigned to the 24th Reconnaissance Company of the 24th Infantry Division. His company received the Korean Service Medal with one Bronze Star.

After returning home from Korea, Mr. Klark married Victoria Byer on Sept. 22, 1951, in St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Warren, Pa. Mr. Klark was a past member of St. Peter & Paul Roman Catholic Church in Jamestown, N.Y., and Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic Church in Frewsburg, N.Y.

Mr. Klark was a certified air conditioning and refrigeration technician and installed forced air and hot water baseboard heating units. His last place of employment was with TRW, MRC Bearings, Jamestown, N.Y., where he worked as a tool maker and bearing matcher and assembler. He was a tool room department steward of UAW 338 and retired in 1986 after working 36 years for the company.

Mr. Klark was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 53, Jamestown, N.Y., and the MRC Federal Credit Union, Jamestown, N.Y.

Louis and Victoria moved to Matthews, N.C., from Frewsburg, N.Y., in 1992, and joined St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Matthews, N.C.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his youngest son, John F. Klark of North Wilkesboro, N.C., in 2007; three brothers: Victor Miaski of Clarendon, Pa., Chester Klark of Warren, Pa., Edward Klark of Russell, Pa.; as well as three sisters; one of whom was an infant sister, Cecelia Miaski of Clarendon, Pa., Martha Depto of Youngstown, Ohio, and Helen Winn of Clarendon, Pa.